Great Blue Heron Conservation

Most Great Blue Herons in North America are faring well but the subspecies on the Northwest coast is struggling. Most of the A. h. fannini subspecies nests in Puget Sound, Washington and the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia. Many people live there too and they have fragmented the forests where herons build their nests. In recent years, the number of Bald Eagles has grown considerably in the region setting up a confrontation that the herons are losing. Eagles mostly scavenge for prey but some have taken to hunting seabirds, waterfowl and herons. The once forested landscape has shrunk because of human developments. As a result, herons are having a hard time finding a quiet place to nest and the number of young they raise has fallen by about half over the past decade. In Canada, the coastal subspecies is listed as of ‘Special Concern’ (one step above ‘Threatened’ and two above ‘Endangered’) by the Committee on the Status of Wildlife in Canada. Washington State considers the species of special concern.